Fuji's snow
by red bara
Summary: fuji suddenly dissapeared and making everyone worry. and it's winter. with snow. and it's very cold for the tensai.
1. Chapter 1

………eh? Em….. Don't know what to do….be hard ne?

It was a cold night in December, with snow flakes falling gracefully onto the deserted roads. And it was 3 in the morning when Fuji Syusuke woke up feeling empty in his heart, and himself.

"Syusuke, are you awake?" Yumiko knocks at her brother's door after realizing she didn't see him yet that morning. It is weird as Syusuke rarely slept in during weekdays, especially on Monday. Only silent answers her and after 10 minutes waiting by the door, Yumiko finally push opens the closed door.

"Syusuke?"

* * *

"Ne, Ne, Ne, where is Fuji? He never been late before," an energetic red hair boy jumps furiously by his double partner side. Oishi sighs at Eiji's antics and preys for their stoic captain did not assign them laps for slacking off during practice. 

"I don't know, Eiji. Maybe, he is sick or something. In this kind of weather, it will be easily to fall ill. Even Inui caught flu last week,"

"Yeah, thank goodness for that. We did not need to have any special juice last week. That might be the best week of practice ever. I hope he will get sick often,"

"Eiji! That is not nice. We should be glad that his flu is over," Oishi scolds him.

"Oh yes, definitely, Kikumaru," suddenly a voice interrupt their conversations and Eiji rush over seeking hide from Oishi.

"Inui! You scared us," Oishi tries his best to hide his nervousness about Inui finding out their conversation.

"You will not if you guys pay much more attention to your surroundings. And about my flu, Kikumaru, it has healed completely and since it was quite bad, I have designed a new formula juice to keep all regulars stamina on the peak, to avoid catching the same viruses. Want to give it a try?"

"Emm… no?" Eiji fidgeted behind Oishi. Like Eiji, Oishi also has the same expressions on his face. Fear.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Kikumaru. Won't you hate it if you get down with the flu? Try it. I guarantee the taste,"

"But…yada! Yada! Even if Inui guarantee the taste, I will still not going to try it,"

"Very well. If you get sick, don't blame anyone then. So, Oishi…how about you?" Silence befalls them as Oishi's take his turn from Eiji, fidgeting in his place.

"Aahh! I think I should go to discuss something important with Tezuka. Sorry, Inui, maybe next time ne? Come Eiji, lets go," Oishi replies pulling Eiji with him towards Tezuka, without waiting for Inui's reply.

"Tezuka, I should warn you,"

"Tezuka!! Inui has created a new juice about something to keep our stamina at peak so we wouldn't get sick. I don't want to drink it! Please, told Inui to stop making all regulars as his guinea pigs," Eiji cuts off Oishi's words as they arrive at Tezuka's side.

"Oishi, Kikumaru. Does any of you know why on earth Fuji isn't here?" Tezuka asks the duo completely ignoring the before warning.

"Emm….no. I am not sure Tezuka. How about you, Eiji? Didn't you sometimes hang around with him during weekends?"

"Well… we always hang around, so does yesterday, but there's nothing weird, if you means with Fuji that is. Everything about him is weird. He didn't tell me anything," Eiji answers with his finger on his chin, imitating Fuji.

Silence befalls those three again and cold winds brush around them.

"Aa…it's getting colder than usual. I am surprise that we didn't have snow storm yet," Eiji breaks the silent.

"I don't think it is a good idea about having a snow storm, Eiji," Oishi replies.

"But even if there is snow storm, I think Fuji will still come here if the practice isn't cancel.

"…. So exactly why Fuji is isn't here?" Tezuka repeats his question again.

No one have the answers to his question as everyone has the same question in their head.

* * *

Yuuta's cell phone ringing ring tone grabs the boy's attention before he left for his morning practice. 

_Home_. Yuuta sighs before flipping it open. It better not be aniki or he will hang up.

"Hello? Yuuta's here,"

"Yuuta?" Yuuta tenses up at how his sister's voice quivering at the other end. Something bad has happened. And deep down, Yuuta hopes it has nothing to do with aniki. TO aniki or BY aniki.


	2. Chapter 2

The evening practice ended much earlier than before due to every regulars who are fidgeting and curious as to why their one missing tensai didn't come to school that day. Could he be sick? Or have something bad happened? Death, maybe? Questions filled their head causing them to lost concentration lots of times until Ryuuzaki-sensei couldn't take it anymore.

"That's it! The practice ends now. All of you regulars better go and check on Fuji as why didn't he came to practice and if he couldn't gave an appropriate reason, he would run 50 laps tomorrow, because he impractically cancelled today's practice! Now, leave!"

"Hai, Ryuuzaki-sensei,"

* * *

And when all 8 regulars, err…7 regulars with the manager arrive at Fuji's household, they were greeted by silent. After 5 times ringing the door bell, they stare looking at the big, 3-storeys house.

"Should somebody have called Fuji's cell phone right now?" Tezuka asks grumpily.

"Err, we called it few times already, Tezuka. We even called his house," Oishi replies.

"And no one answers. Mou, where did everyone go? Fuji is so not being funny anymore," Eiji pouts. He grabbed Tezuka's attention when he said the last part.

" 'not being funny anymore', Kikumaru?"

"Eh? Did I say that?" Eiji nervously trying to hide his slip.

"What's going on, Eiji. Are you hiding something from us, Eiji? Tell us, please. It might be important," Oishi asks the fidgeting boy.

"Yes, Kikumaru-san. Tell us, what do you mean by that? And perhaps save us the troubles on looking for Yuuta," a different yet oh-so familiar annoying voice joins in the conversation.

"Mizuki-san! What did you mean? Did Fuji's otouto missing too?" Eiji asks St. Rudolph's manager.

"Yuuta-san received a phone call this morning, urgent I assumed as he rushed to his room, pack his stuff, and left for the office. He didn't tell anyone what is the emergency but the office told us that he's on leave for a week. Guardian's permission,"

"A week? But Fuji-sempai is not in a week leave, he just didn't came to school today," Momo protests.

Suddenly, a shrill ringing ring tone of Seigaku's theme permitted the air. They all look closely to a glasses buchou as he answers his phone. One thing that everyone can see is how his stoic face turns pale during the phone call.

"Tezuka? Is everything alright?" Oishi asks once he finished. Tezuka nods and paused. He then shook his head.

"It's from Ryuuzaki-sensei. She said that the school's administration has given Fuji a week leave, impromptu, because of an important family business. Funny thing, Ryuuzaki-sensei said Fuji might quit school if he didn't return after the leave, and that comes from his sister. So she asked me, us, to check on why the suspicious leave," Tezuka explains.

The groups fell silent. As been planed and timed, they all turned towards Eiji.

"Huh?" he asked, retreating behind Oishi.

"Tell us what you knew, Kikumaru," Inui asks the acrobat.

"Fuji did call me last night," Eiji said quietly. "And?" taka-san enquires. "He asked me, when I first played with snow. And I laughed. I said, 'what kind of question is that?' and he asked me again the question. I answered that I don't remember, and he told me, when he first play with snow, he was in Germany. He said that he was 5, and it was the first time he saw something as white and pure like that, but it's cold. I laughed at him, telling that it is snow. Ice, of course it's cold. And I told him that, if he wants to tell me stories, he can tell me the next morning, which is this morning, because it was 3 in the morning, and I want to go to bed. And then he told me…" Eiji grew silent.

"He told you what?" Kaidoh asks. When Eiji remains silent, Oishi starts shaking his partner. "He told you what, Eiji?"

"He told me that…he told me that he died covered in snow. He died and he's not supposed to be here anymore. He supposed to be in that grave, down there, instead of up here, playing tennis. And he told me…," deep breath, "that he should return to be in his grave. I laughed. I laughed so hard I nearly cried. And then I replied that maybe he should, since it's his grave, and he told me, 'really? I know you understand, Eiji,' and then he told me that he loves me and hung up the phone. Ne, Oishi, he's not serious, right? He was being playful with me, which is why he kept saying all those weird stuff to me, right?"

"I guess so, Eiji. It's not possible that he's dead and still playing with us,"

"I know that…but his voice…he sounds so…empty. I'm worry, Eiji. What if something bad happened to Fuji? How is he?"

No one realizes that Taka-san's face turns pale after Eiji's story. They all decided to head home and wished for the Fuji's to be alright and return back to normal after their leave's end. Taka-san only nods and heads to his home.

When he arrives in his room, he grabs a photo frame from his study table and run a finger across the plastic surface. He sighs and looks out into the slowly falling snow outside his window. His expression is hard to pick but one can say that happy is far.


	3. Chapter 3

_"Class, I have an announcement to make. Today, we will welcome two new students to join us. I want you all to help them settle in, okay?" Suzuki-sensei informs the students of class 3-2, Seishun School. A chorus of 'okay' answers her and she smiles softly._

_"Well then, I want all of you to meet Fuji Syusuke and Fuji Sayuki. Come inside, you two," she calls out and soon, a boy and a girl emerge into the classroom. They both bow and everyone gasped. Their new members have small figure but more importantly is their hair color. The boy, he has a honey-brown hair while the girl, has a honey-gold hair. And when they saw their faces, they notice how little do they look like Japanese, especially the girl. Foreigners, everyone concludes._

_"Class, Syusuke-kun and Sayuki-chan," "Snow," the girl suddenly interrupts the teacher. "Pardon?" "Snow. You can call me Snow. Or Snow-chan if you want," she politely smiles. Suzuki-sensei smiles back. "Very well, Snow-chan. As I was to say, Syusuke-kun and Snow-chan both came from America. So, minna, please help them in any way, okay? Now, where should you sit? Hm…. Ah, Syusuke-kun, why don't you sit next to Takashi-san near the window sill? And Snow-chan can sit next to Miaka-san over there,"_

_"You can call me Syusuke. Can I just call you Taka-san?" Syusuke asks his new neighbor. Taka-san just nods his head and scratches his head nervously. "Sure, Syusuke-san. You can call me taka-san. I don't mind," he smiles to the smiling boy. Taka-san founds out that he likes Syusuke's smile. And the class continues peacefully._

_"Oi, foreigner. Do you need help? We can help you translating what we said to you, you know," some of the boys laugh mockingly at Syusuke doing break. Syusuke just smiles politely and tries to excuse himself but to no avail, since the boys form a circle around him. "What's wrong, girly boy? Too high rank to even chat with us?" "Yeah, you are so girly we can't even believe you a boy if not for the uniform you wearing," and they laugh again. Getting closer and closer around him._

_"Oi, true Japanese blood," suddenly a girl's voice calls out. They turn around and saw Snow standing behind them. "Mind translating this for my brother? Don't mind them, they are idiots and stupid. By the way, we are going to be late for lunch with Yuuta, so come on," she says mockingly. With an eyebrow rises slightly._

_The boys were gaping for a while, before one of them fought back, "if you think that we are that idiots, not being able to translate that, you are wrong," Snow smirks at them. "So, translate then," the boys were silent for a while, thoughtful looks at their face. "Err…"_

_"Oh, so you can't translate what I was saying before. So, how can you translate what you guys talking into English if you can't translate my short sentence? Talk like that to us again when you guys manage to translate that. Come Syusuke, we're late for lunch," Snow calls out for Syusuke and he manages to escape easily this time. With that, they both head out the class and Taka-san learn something else. Be careful when you're messing with Syusuke if you don't want to face Snow's wrath. Something about the tones of Snow manage to send shivers down everyone's back._

_"Yuuta, have lunch with us?" Syusuke asks his down little brother. "Aniki, anekun. Why is everyone hates me?" Snow laughs at Yuuta's question. "Yuuta, Yuuta. Of course everyone hates us. They jealous because we've went to America while they stuck in Japan since small. Of course they hate us, they want to go to America too,"_

_"Oh," Yuuta nods his blonde head. Snow slung her hands around his shoulders and drags him outside. "But, just because we have one advantage over them, doesn't mean that we need to show off, because, if we show off, they'll hate us more. So, all we can do is by being humble," "and what you just did in the class are not show off?" Syusuke suddenly asks Snow. "Eh? Err…being humble doesn't mean they can step on our head, Syusuke. We still have our face and honor. You too, Yuuta. Don't let anyone bullied you. Fight back; don't show that you will succumb to them,"_

_"What about Aniki?" Yuuta's question leave the elder two render less. "What about me?" "What about Aniki? Aniki never fought back. Usually it would be anekun who fought them for aniki," Yuuta answers. "Well, Yuuta, that's because me and aniki are twins. Twins always stuck together, so, we need to protect each other. But, you are different. You are alone, anekun and aniki can't protect you all the time, so you should stand up for yourself," Snow answers back, ruffling Yuuta's hair._

_"That's suck," "no, that's life, Yuuta. Life is suck. And cruel, so be careful," Snow laughs and both of them have their lunch under a sakura tree, chatting and sometimes switching between Japanese and English._

_After a week the three of them enter Seishun elementary, Taka-san learns a few more things. One, Syusuke is the type that hates fighting and he couldn't fight back if someone bullied him, whether he refuse to or not so it always be a job for either Snow or Taka-san to rescue him. He is a polite and kind boy who always spoke softly to others. Even to his bullies. But for Snow, taka-san learnt that she is an out-going and cheerful girl. It's fun to be her friends but not fun to be her enemy. Her words…are sharp, cold and icy when she talks to her enemy, who became one by usually bullying Syusuke or Yuuta, and everyone, thinks that the nickname Snow really suit her. But still, she's a nice girl and polite to the elders. Yuuta meanwhile is kind of hard for Taka-san, since he only met him few times during lunch where the siblings invite him to join in. but Taka-san can see how Yuuta adores his older sister. He also adores Syusuke, but not as much as he adores Snow._

_And the important thing that taka-san learnt that day, never hurt any Fuji, as you will be in a very big trouble. Facing angry Fuji, is promise to be one life time experience. Trust dear Taka-san. He was there._

_"Taka-san, where's Aniki?" Snow asks Taka-san when they've finished their cleaning duty. Three of them plus Miaka were assigned to clean the gym that day and Taka-san know that Yuuta are around, playing while waiting to go home together with the other two. It is a habit the three of them have, since when any of them have something else to do, the others will wait. Taka-san and Snow took the backstage gym, while Miaka and Syusuke took the front._

_"I'm not sure, Snow-chan. Let's go and find them," he replies and follows the girl out._

_"Miaka-chan, where's aniki?" Snow asks her best friend who was sweeping the foyer. "Huh? He was over there before. Maybe he went to the back?" and the two kids continue their search for a certain blue-eyes boy. They went to a side of the gym and to the back ant when they went to another side; they hear a screaming coming from the playground nearby. Taka-san took a while to register that familiar voice but to Snow, she know that sound by heart._

_They rush to the playground and found Syusuke being beaten by few boys from the upper level. Behind Syusuke is Yuuta who was bleeding at his forehead and dirty with dirt. He was speechless and couldn't do anything other than watch his older brother curls into a fetal position, taking a kick in his stomach. Taka-san looks at Snow and saw her blue eyes turn ice. Her face is red and her breathing is ragged. And in a flash, taka-san almost fall on his butt as Snow rushes past him into the boys._

_She stops near them and start yelling, "stop it. Pick someone your level," the boys stop for a while and starts laughing. "Oh, if it isn't the little girl coming to rescue the day," "well, guess what? We are also annoyed at you too. Don't worry, we'll be a bit softer to you than your brother here since you're a girl," and with a signal from the leader, one of the boys flung himself to the girl._

_The boy punch Snow's face and she took a step back. Feeling smug, he was about to deliver another punch when his fist were thrown away and in another second, he was laying on his back, on the ground, unconscious. The other was taken aback but that didn't stop them as three more boys come to attack Snow while the leader and another boy start kicking Syusuke again._

_And taka-san knew that the leader just made things worst as he can see Snow, with such a swift movement delivers her own punches and kicks to her attackers that less than a minute having all three boys, twice her size laying on the ground as well. Either being unconscious or crying in pain. She went to the other two boys who are still beating Syusuke and took the leader's wrist and turn it outward. A sickening crack was heard followed by an agonize scream. Not affected by the scream, Snow took hold of the broken wrist and delivers four kicks at the leader before letting off her hold. She starts approaching the other boy who was probably, going to pee in his pants right there. He was trembling terribly. Inches away, Snow stops and the boy shuts his eyes tightly, waiting for her attack._

_"I didn't start all this. You guys are. What I just did is a self defense for myself and my brothers. You guys could not sue me or reported me to the police since it isn't me on guilt. I hope that this will became a lesson for not only you and your friends, but also for others. Now, if I ever see you around my brothers again…" Snow speaks slowly yet clearly her warning on the deserted playground. No other sounds were heard other than Yuuta's sobs and Syusuke's whimpers. Taka-san also realizes that he is also scared to even breathe, fearing his life._

_When the boy nods his head eagerly only then Snow retreats towards her brothers. She went to Syusuke and kneeing next to him. Yuuta, finally assures that he is safe, also went by his brother's side. "Syusuke, are you badly hurt? Do you want me to call nee-san?" Snow speaks surprisingly soft and gentle towards Syusuke. She even brushes his hair lovingly. Syusuke shook his head few times and took in a few deep breaths._

_"I tried to stop them from beating on Yuuta," he finally manages to speak after a while. Snow nods her head in understanding. She looks over Yuuta to check on him and sigh in relieve realizing he only suffers a light cuts on his forehead. She smiles softly to the crying boy who was holding Syusuke's hand, finally being able to register the events that just ended in his head._

_"There, there, Yuuta. Don't cry it's over now. It's alright, they won't hurt you anymore. They won't hurt us anymore," Snow speaks softly while hugging him. She kisses his head few times before letting go. "Now, I want you two to head home while I went to the office to inform this. Don't worry about me, I can go home with Miaka and taka-san," she looks up into Taka-san's face and towards his side, where Miaka was standing speechless. How Snow realizes when Miaka came, taka-san doesn't know but he was surely surprised knowing that the girl is next to him. They both numbly nod their head when realizing that the three was waiting for their answers._

_"I'll walk Snow-chan home. Don't worry," taka-san finally found his lost voice. Miaka seems to find hers too when she answers her promises to make sure Snow arrives home safely. Snow smiles gratefully towards them and helps Syusuke to stand with Yuuta on the other side. Satisfied that Syusuke isn't that badly hurt and can walk by himself, Snow told them to head home while they, her, taka-san and Miaka will took their bags home._

_The other two nods their head and head out the school's ground. Snow, Miaka, and Taka-san then proceed to lock the gym and heads to the office. Snow went to the secretary and they talk for a while before Snow disappeared into the headmaster's office. The other two were left staring dumbly at the door. After like a few minutes, taka-san finally broke the silence._

_"How much did you watch?" "Since that Matsuyama boy punched Snow-chan," "do you know how…I mean…I never know that Snow-chan can fight," taka-san fidgets in his place. "That was self defense. But I don't know what it called. We should ask Snow later," Miaka thoughtfully answered back. Silence befalls the kids again and they waited for another half an hour before the door opened again with the headmaster, the secretary and Snow walking out with different expressions._

_"Well, I hope this wont happened again, Fuji-san. Even though it was self defense, it still is illegal to beat them all," the headmaster scolds the girl walking next to him. The secretary already left and heads towards the playground. "You can send me to the authorities if you want, Wada-richijou. But I don't think that you will. It was clearly their fault no matter what you said. You can't blame me, nor them and their family," Snow smugly replies. It was weird, for everyone to think that even though she was only 9, the way she talks…more advanced than kids around her age. And the fact that she hates losing is another annoying part if you enter a debate contest with her._

_"Let's go home," Snow smiles to Taka-san and Miaka, brightly like what that had happened in the playground an hour ago never occurred. They went to their class and pick each others and Syusuke's and Yuuta's bag and head towards Fuji's home. They never went to the Fuji's place and they are curious how it looks like._

_"You said that it was self defense. What it's called?" Miaka suddenly broke the silence. "Hmm? Oh, it's Tae Kwan-Do, one of the many self-defenses that I learnt. Why?" "Is it hard to learn?" Taka-san asks the girl. "For me? Kind of since I'm so small but it isn't that hard. Learn with me, it will be fun," Snow invites the two to join in and Miaka eagerly nods while Taka-san answers to asks his parents first. But he doesn't think that they will object. "That's wonderful. You see, no one in my family want to learn self defense other than me and papa. But papa was always busy, so I always learn alone. It's fun to have friends when you're learning something," she is beaming with happiness and Taka-san founds out that he loves this smile, since it kinds reminds him of Suzuki's smile. They continue chatting about class, home works and so on._

_"we're here," Snow suddenly exclaims and they all stop in front of a big gates, where the other two finally realized that they are at the edge of the city, at the hill of mountains and behind the close gate, far behind, a big yet old 3 stories mansion stands proudly surrounded by trees and gardens and a lake. A chuckle from his side snaps Taka-san from continue gapping at the mansion. "Close your mouth, Taka-san. There are no flies around here yet," Snow and Miaka smiles while Taka-san hurriedly closes his mouth. "You lived here, Snow-chan? This place is big," Taka-san decides to change the topic. Snow nods her head and opens a small entrance next to the gate, for people to walk in and out. "This is grandpa's house. Well, our house now. Coming inside?" she invites and the other two complied._

_After that day, no one, dare to bully any Fuji. It turns out that the leader, other than a broken wrist, he also have 3 broken ribs. The other boys have lots of ugly bruises, twisted limbs and one or two broken fingers or bones and there is one who has a dislocated shoulder. Enough warnings for everyone. Meanwhile, Taka-san and Miaka starts learning Tae-Kwan-Do with Snow in a local dojo and it appear that the petite girl already have black belt in that art. Taka-san totally understand what it means by don't judge a book by its cover. The two also hangs around the Fuji's mansion few times enough that their parent already treating them like their own children._

_Once the summer breaks nearly over, Syusuke and Yuuta returns from Osaka and with them are a boy name Saeki Kohjirou. They all became friends, close friends and always visited each other once there's a school break. All 6 of them played at the beach in Osaka, ate sushi in Taka-san's father's place, went to tennis practices and competitions, as well as Tae-Kwan-Do practices and competitions. It is a great time, but as Snow once told them, as all bad times will comes to an end, all good times will comes to an end also. Winter on their 5th year, a time when everyone took a drastic turn in their life._

* * *

Taka-san wakes up from his nap and also from his memory train, sweating and panting. What ever it is that came over Fuji's mind this times, Taka-san prays that he won't do what he did 4 years before. 


	4. Chapter 4

Yumiko is worried. She founds Syusuke's room to be neat except for the bed that aren't made and also empty of her blue-eyes brother. She founds his uniform hang neatly; his schoolbag and even his sports bag are lying on the usual corner behind the door. His not in his adjoined bathroom, and Yumiko's frown only grew. She checks Yuuta's room, their parent's room, the attic, laundry room, everywhere, even her own closet, but no sign of Syusuke. Yumiko thinks that she is hyperventilating, and perhaps she is. Syusuke's shoes are not in the shoes' closet, but his coat is, but the gates have been unlocked. Yumiko starts to panic. Where is Syusuke? She dials Syusuke's phone and found that the tensai's phone is still in his bedside table, but his wallet are not there. She then dials Yuuta's numbers.

"Hello? Yuuta's here," the sound of her youngest brother's voice at the other line was far and small behind the poundings in her own head. 'Syusuke, you better be alright,'

"Yuuta?"

"What is it, onee-san?"

"It's Syusuke. I can't find him. He's not around, but all of his stuff is still here. Except for his shoes, and the gates have been unlocked. Yuuta, I'm worry. And scared. I have a very bad feeling about this, Yuuta. A very bad feeling. Where could he possibly go?"

"…oneesan, that day was yesterday, right?" Yuuta's silent reply confused Yumiko. "What day, Yuuta? This is not funny," Yumiko half yelling into the phone. And suddenly, she remembered. Her mouth form an 'o' but no sound escape.

"Yuuta, I don't think Syusuke would go all far there without his coat. You know how cold it is out there,"

"I hope so too, nee-san. But, we don't have any more clues. We better check there,"

Yuuta voice crumbled a bit.

"Okay, Yuuta. You pack your stuff and told your school you are leaving for a week. Maybe longer. And come back home, I'll call Syusuke's school and when you arrive, we'll go there. Hurry, Yuuta. I don't know how long have he been out there,"

"I will go there as soon as possible. Don't worry, nee-san. Call papa too," and the phone call is disconnected.

Yumiko sighs weakly. "I don't know, Syusuke. I don't know whether I should be hoping that you'll be there or not. Why now, Syusuke? What bring this on again?" she whispers to nobody before calling Syusuke's school and her workplace. She then proceeds to call her father but she is told that her father is on a work trip, and probably hasn't arrived yet to the destination. 'Of all times he go in a work trip,' Yumiko grumbles and starts packing her stuff. She also packs some of Syusuke's stuff. When Yuuta arrives, not an hour longs, the two starts heading out into the driveway. Both have a very troubled expression in their face.

Syusuke stands in a children playground. He looks around, as if searching for something and after a while, he took a seat at a swing and started swinging himself. At first, it was a slow swing, but later, it became faster and faster that Syusuke thought he's going to be sick. He stopped and starts wandering around the neighborhood, it was around 5 am, and luckily, somehow, that not many people already awake and walking like the tensai did. And the fact that he's in his pajama with a coat that do not covered him fully, doesn't render him. He walked slowly, as savoring his memory in the street, and arrived at a park. He stopped for a while, looking at the entrance and proceeds to the end of the park. He walked more further into the park, and he was within the forest before stopped in a clearing.

* * *

"Ne, aniki. I have a move I want to show you," Snow told him when all 6 of them arrived at the clearing. "A move?" Syusuke asked back. Curious. Snow is a tennis prodigy like him but she chooses martial arts more than tennis. So, when she learns a new move, she usually showed them to Syusuke, and vice versa. "Yup, I made it myself. I called it Higuma otoshi. Cute name isn't it?" she told him. Syusuke remembered he asked her once why she teached him a move that she called brown bear, 'because my Mr. Bear is brown?' she asked reprimanding Syusuke about her brown bear which she called Mr. Higuma. Syusuke smiled and watched the girl delivered her new move. Not asking the reason behind the name, because he already knew anyway. Like the swallow move when they went to Ireland once and saw many swallows flying.

"Think you can learn it?" Snow asked Syusuke after she finished. Syusuke silently watched and think. The other 4 was staring gapping after watching her and only Syusuke have his normal expression. "I try," he replied and just about to deliver his attempt when a flake of snow fell on his grip. He looked up and saw lots of flakes falling. "Yay, first fall of snow for the year and we out here, playing with them," Snow happily jumping around, trying to catch the snow. Higuma otoshi lay forgotten as the kids happily running and playing in the snow.

"An expedition? You mean we need to trek a mountain in winter?" Snow said disbelievingly at her aniki. Syusuke laughed at her reaction, "not a dangerous one, Snow. We have our teachers and besides, the trek already been cleared. It be fun," "I don't know, aniki. I think there will be a storm going to happened soon. And the expedition is this weekend, that is soon," "I'm sure when the storm arrived; we are happily tucked in by mama in our comfy bed. Come on, besides, how can you be so sure about the storm? You are not the weather girl," "instinct, aniki. I trust my instinct better than the weather report. Besides, my instinct never been wrong before," Syusuke just laughed at his sister stubbornness. Sometimes, Snow and Yuuta have the same stubbornness level, which made it hard to make them change their mind once it settled. And Syusuke an expert in making them changed their mind. By being insistent. Lots and lots of pleading and debate, Snow finally caved in. who wouldn't when you see his sweet, innocent, cute blablabla smile that Syusuke have. Snow always mumbles about it was supposed to be a girl to have that smile, not knowing that her smile are also like that.

They were walking in a line, two by two, and Snow walked holding hand with Miaka. Syusuke was behind her with Taka-san and they sometimes hear the girls quarreling over small stuffs. Another breeze of strong wind stopping everyone and they are already high up the trek. Syusuke saw Snow glanced back at him and understand what she is trying to say that time. 'snow storm,' Syusuke smiled guitily and with the other kids, they are being lead to climb further up since they cant climb back down as it would be more dangerous. They arrived at a clearing, for resting but the teachers decided they should just camped there until the storm cool down and they all will head back.

"Sorry for not believing you, Snow," Syusuke whispered to the girl next to him. "Not necessary, instincts aren't that believable any way. Though, nee-san did told us about her reading," Snow replied, hugging her knees tighter. Puffs of air come out in front of her face each time she exhales. She even rubbed her palms together as if to gather more heat.

"But nee-san said something terrible will happened after the trip, Snow. Not during," Syusuke confusingly replied. He sifted a little more towards Snow. Bumping their shoulder together. "Mou, why is it so cold," she mumbled grumpily. "Because we're in a snow storm, and on a mountain?" Miaka replied smilingly from her other side. The four of them already formed a circle to keep heat going. "That's a rhetorical question and you not supposed to answered it," Snow grunt in her direction. Miaka laughed. "But I don't answered it, I delivered another question," "no, it's not a question. You just put a tinge of question note at the end," and the quarrel continue. Syusuke smiled softly and they waited for the storm to end.

"Thank goodness, it didn't last long. If I stay up there anymore longer, I'll be a human cube," Snow grumbled. "No, if you stay up there anymore longer, you will really be snow queen," Miaka laughed. Snow sighed. "if I really became a snow queen, I will kidnapped your brother and make him put back the peaces of my broken huge mirror that I smashed, rolled, blended burnt and more for years," they continue to fight even on their way back. "I really wonder where those two found their energy to continue quarreling," Taka-san asked Syusuke, quietly. Syusuke just shrugged his shoulders. "Tell me when you know," they ride back the bus that would bring them to school and from there; their parent would bring them home. Arrived at school, they can see lots of parents already waiting. Worried on their face for their children safety.

"I guess mama not here yet," Snow said to Syusuke after she couldn't find their mother from her window seat. "Well, my mama is here, and so does my handsome older brother. So, see you all tomorrow," Miaka said happily jumping off the bus once it stopped. The other three waved their hands to her getting off the bus slowly. "taka-san's mother is not here too," Snow silently observed their surrounding. "Well, she probably took a while to arrive here," Taka-san reply.

"Let's play at the playground then. They can see us when they arrive," Syusuke calmly suggested and all three of them played in the snow-covered sandbox. Instead of making themselves a sand castle, they made a snow fort and playing war with Suzuki-sensei. Snow were with Suzuki-sensei while the boys on the other side. They can't go home until their parent arrived so; Suzuki-sensei was left to take care of her students. They were chasing each other to throw snow ball when it happened.

* * *

Taka-san is staring at the sky during tennis practice, remembering how the white carpet turns into…red. He shudders and shook his head for a few times before realizing someone was calling his name. "Taka-san? Is there something that you want to object about this arrangement?" Oishi asks him. "Eh? Err, no. I don't have anything to object," he sheepishly answers. Taken of guard like that, he suddenly remembers that time when he were took off guard like that, Syusuke was…he shook his head again and look up at his teammates who are staring at him weirdly and worriedly. "Err, gomen. Just thinking about something," Tezuka grunts his disapprove and continues with the new regulars arrangement.

"Ne, Taka-san. Is there something about Fuji that you didn't tell us? Like why he suddenly disappeared? You two are long best friend, surely you know," Eiji asks taka-san once the meeting was over. "I don't know, Eiji. I don't think I really should tell you," "tell us, Taka-san. Oishi suddenly asks him on the behave of other regulars who were waiting for him.

"Fuji, he… four years ago…he…finally woke up from his dream, in a very hard way,"

Saeki received a phone call from a frantic Yuuta that morning, telling him to find his aniki. Glancing at a photo frame on his bedside, then at the calendar, Saeki nods his head understanding.


End file.
